Mobile Suit Gundam SEED DESTINY

The New Coordinate

Story:
AU of GSD. Xander Darklighter, a pilot with attitude problem was just assigned to Minerva when three new mobile suits were stolen from Armory One. What will happen when he decided to take that path in front of him?

Notes:
Thanx for the reviews, guys. I appreciate 'em a lot.

I don't own GSD, their characters or anything else aside from Xander Darklighter.

Chapter 5: Reunion On The Falling Star

The battle on Junius Seven was already in full scale with the Jule Squadron lead by Dearka Elthmann tried to prevent the giant colony from falling to Earth. Shinn, in his Force Impluse Gundam was followed by three ZAKU units and one GOUF unit.

"Gosh, I don't wanna imagine what will happen when that thing hits Earth." Xander commented.

"We have to prevent that from happening. At all cost." Athrun said.

"Aye, aye. Sir."

The five went inside and saw Chaos, Abyss and Gaia were already in the mix.

"Damn! It's them!" Shinn hissed. With that, he pulled further from the pack followed by Lunamaria. "Those three. We'll get them this time!"

"Battle isn't our priority!" Athrun retorts.

"I know." Lunamaria acknowledged. "But they will likely to attack us. If we don't get rid of them, we can't continue the operation."

Xander coughed. "Ahem. Afraid the lady's right, Boss."

"But that's not our priority..." Athrun replied.

Xander cut him. "Okay. Here's the plan. Rey and I will take out those GINNs while you three choose which suits to fight."

Lunamaria nods. "Sounds good. Let's go."

With that, Shinn and Lunamaria left to engage their targets. Athrun sighed.

"I thought you're going to suggest that all of us will engage those three."

"Naw. I can't do that, Boss. Don't wanna get the Chief Representative worried and all..."

Athrun blushed at the statement by his old friend. "YOU!"

Before he could do a thing, Xander quickly left him behind with Rey. "Let's go, Rey. We'll kick the crap out of those sorry excuses for mobile suits."

Rey smiled and nods.

Shinn quickly engaged Abyss with a shot from the beam rifle but it was easily blocked. Auel countered with multiple beam shots. "Where's that unit? Where is he?" He shouted, remembering the embarassment at the hands of Xander in the last battle. With that, the two exchanged beam attacks.

Lunamaria once again squared with Gaia as the two exchanged long ranged attacks. Meanwhile, Athrun was taking down the unknown GINNs until another two came up. Easily, he finished them off. He then turned his attention to Chaos who was firing at him with the pods. Again, Athrun dodged all of it and managed to shot one of them as he appear in front of him then threw a punch straight in the face. Realizing that this ZAKU pilot was different from any others, Sting distanced himself from him and launched a few attacks from the remaining pod. Athrun blocked them with the shield and pulled out the axe. Then, with deadly accuracy, he threw it at the pod and sliced it in half.

"What's with this guy? He's strong!" Sting groaned.

On the other side, Gaia (in its quadruped form), fired multiple beams at Lunamaria. The red ZAKU pilot easily avoided it and fired a massive blast of beam energy at her adversary. With swift reflexes, Gaia easily dodged it and by the use of a surface on a rock as a springboard, it leapt at Lunamaria at breathtaking speed. She was caught off guard and the black unit slammed into her, causing her to crash on the ground. Now with her victim was down, Stellar leapt at her opponent for the kill.

"This is the end, red one!"

"Not yet!" With swift reflexes, Lunamaria jumped out of the way as Stellar hit a nobody's home. During this precious little seconds, Lunamaria delivered a powerful kick in the chin. She then pulled out her axe and threw it at her as Stellar was falling away. The axe clipped the beam blade attached and Stellar countered with a blast to the right leg.

Xander, who was busy taking care of the GINNs whistled at the battle. "Phewit. Talk about catfight..."

The Jule Squadron finally managed to activate their Meteor Breakers in order to split the falling colony into smaller chunks of rocks.

Athrun and Sting were still at it, exchanging melee attacks which neither of them had the upperhand. The same situation goes to Shinn and Auel while Lunamaria and Stellar exchanged direct blows with the latter was thrown away by Lunamaria's attack.

Xander was having a hard time taking out the GINNs that he was fighting. "They can do so well in those outdated units. They're probably a bunch of veterans. Just imagine what they can do with a ZAKU or GOUF."

Again, another section of Junius Seven was taken out by Yzak's team. This time, they managed to took out half of the colony. However, Athrun didn't like it.

"We still have work to do. We have to split it further!"

Dearka was the first to react. "Athrun?"

"What are you doing in a place like this, you bastard?" Yzak cursed.

"Now, now. Jule. Where's the love after all these years?"

Both of them turned to the GOUF unit that was approaching them. This time, it was Yzak's turn to react first.

"You! Darklighter! What are you doing here, you ignorant bastard?"

"Oh? I see you still love me. I'm flattered." Xander jokingly replied.

Dearka sighed. "Oi, oi. What's this, a reunion?"

"You can say that. In a way."

Athrun interfered their conversation. "Come on, we don't have much time. We need to hurry with the operation."

"R-right!" Dearka replied.

"I know that!" Yzak retorts.

"Okay, Boss." Xander replied in his usual jovial mood.

With that, Xander, Yzak and Athrun escorted Dearka, who was carrying the Meteor Breaker towards the intended target.

"You sure haven't changed, Yzak." Athrun remarked.

"You too!" he replied.

"So, Jule. Enjoy being a commander?" Xander teased.

"You don't need to ask! Of course I enjoy it!"

"Oh, okay. I rest my case. But this reunion sure is romantic. I mean, what can be more romantic than a reunion of old friends on a falling colony that will cause massive destruction?"

"Tch. You and your sarcastic remarks. That's the reason I DON'T like you." Yzak hissed.

"Aww. Too bad."

"My, my. You two are really meant for each other..." Dearka muttered.

"I heard that, Dearka!" Yzak yelled.

Then out of the blue, two GINN units appeared and attacked. But with a 4-2 advantage, the problem was easily solved. As they continued, Abyss attacked and dived in from behind. Shinn followed in hot pursuit.

"Yzak!" Athrun shouted.

"Shut up!" he replied as he confronts Auel. "I'm the commander now! Don't order me around, civilian!" With a slash from his halberd, he easily sliced off Abyss' left leg, much to the shock of Auel. Sting came in to help out but was thwarted by both Xander and Athrun. Using them as distraction, Yzak sliced the shield of Chaos.

"Whoa. He's certainly on fire. Guess having a civilian oredering him around really pissed him good." Xander said as he approached in with a sword in hand.

Athrun threw his axe and cut off the left arm while Xander came in and sliced off both legs.

Shinn looked at the show of teamwork in amazement.

(Is that the skills of the pilots who survived Jachin Due?)

"Shinn, what are you doing? The operation isn't over yet!" Athrun said.

Moments later, a signal for retreat was sent from Bogey-1. With that, the three stolen units returned to the ship.

"Pity. The fun's over." Xander said. "Let's go back. We'll be in deep throuble if we stay out here much longer."

Without waiting for a respond, he left for Minerva.

"What's up with him? The order to return hasn't been issued yet." Shinn said.

"Don't mind him, Shinn. It's his way of doing things." Athrun comments.

"I still and WILL NOT like that guy." Yzak said.

"Yes, yes. We know that." Dearka replied.

Xander was approaching Minerva when he saw Lunamaria's ZAKU ahead of him.

He hailed her. "Hey."

Gasping for breath, she replied. "Oh, hey."

"Having trouble?"

"Yeah. The balance was totally gone haywire after I lost the leg."

"I can see that. Here, let me help." Xander's unit carried the red ZAKU towards the catapault deck and landed safely.

"Phew. Thanks a lot, Xander."

"No problem. See you inside."

Xander got out of the unit just in time to see the PLANT Chairman was about to leave on a shuttle. Seeing Xander, he approached him. Xander salutes him.

"Xander Darklighter. Uh...reporting for duty, sir!"

Smiling, Gilbert pats his shoulder. "I'm sorry that we didn't met earlier, Xander. And forgive me for the late notification about this assignment."

"It's okay, sir. You don't have to apologize."

"And I thank you for your assistance so far. I'm sure the crew of this ship are glad to have an experienced pilot like you."

"I'm not like that, sir..."

"I don't think that way. Now, before I go, do you have anything to ask?"

Xander paused to think. "Sir, why me?" he asked.

Gilbert narrowed his eyes. "You have the power to help others, Xander. I think it's a shame to see a talent such as you waste your time away at PLANT. I hope you can be further of help towards this ship. Now, please excuse me."

With that, he left and entered the shuttle that will take him back to PLANT.

Xander cursed. "Tch. Politicians."

Then, the alarm rang again.

"After retrieving all mobile suits, this ship will re-enter the atmosphere to destroy the remains of the object using its bow gun."

Xander smiled. "Hah. As I expected."

As Minerva descended into the atmosphere, Xander, Rey and Lunamria were at the lounge, looking at the falling Junius Seven.

"C'mon Shinn, Boss. I'll be damned if you two don't come back in one piece."

"Xander." He turned to Lunamaria. "Yeah?"

"We'll be okay, right?"

Xander raise his eyebrows. "Why ask me?"

"Eh...I thought you're experienced in this kind of situation. So..."

Xander smiled and pats her shoulder. "We'll be alright. But I do worry what will happen once we're on Earth."

"Eh, why's that?"

"Despite our efforts, destruction will happen. And the Earh Alliance will blame PLANT for this affair." Rey suddenly replied.

Xander nods. "Yeah, that's it, Rey. We'll be in a mess much more worse than it is now..."

He returned his gaze on Junius Seven and unzips his suit to pull out the chain. He then looked at the ring.

(Claire. Once again, this world will be plunged into another war. Tell me, what am I suppose to do?)

Then, a soft, female voice whispered inside him.

"Trust your feelings, Xan. It is you who will decide."

To Be Continued...